Each semester we ask Writing Center patrons to evaluate the services we offer. We draw upon these evaluations when making additions or improvements to our programs. If youve never been to the Writing Center (or even if you have!), some of the comments weve received recently may give you a sense of what we can do for you.

What undergrads say about the Writing Center

From a first-year student in a Criminal Justice class:

I was very pleased with how much a little bit of conversation
and the right questions helped me to articulate my point.
I will definitely use this resource more in the future.

From a first-year student taking an Integrated Liberal Studies class:

I was really pleased in the method [my Writing Center
instructor] used to help me out. She did not simply offer suggestions,
but rather guided my own thoughts, and I felt as though I solved
my own problems.

From a sophomore taking a Social Policy class:

[My Writing Center instructor] works well with me and
helps me in the areas I need help most. She simplifies my mess of
brainstorming  she makes me argue my thought  so I can
better critique myself once I am home, writing on my own. After
a session I have notes that keep me focused and on-task with my
paper.

From a junior in an Art History course:

I am very pleased  I was very frustrated
about how to start this paper, what to do with all my information
 how to make it all make sense. [My Writing Center instructor]
helped me define my thesis to center the paper on!

What graduate students say about the Writing Center

From a graduate student in Sociology:

Working with [my Writing Center instructor] was very helpful;
it made me look at new issues while I was writing and pay attention
to a more general level of organization rather than being caught
in the word-to-word type of writing.

From a dissertator in English:

I come to the Writing Center for a few reasons  to get
intelligent feedback on my writing, to make contact with an interested
reader, to verify my own instincts and ideas about the shape
and nature of a dissertation.

From a graduate student in Child and Family Studies:

[My Writing Center instructor] has helped me clarify my writing
and simplify it for better meaning. We have worked on improving
my style and writing for my audience. I have seen progress in my
work, and I am more comfortable writing in APA style. Meeting weekly
helps to keep me organized and on track. I appreciate her knowledge
and wisdom and am very appreciative of her help.

What students with permanent appointments say about the Writing Center

From a senior in Landscape Architecture:

My main reason for coming to the Writing Center was to
improve my writing skills . . . to try to avoid all the
red ink that seems to live on all my reports, papers, and exams.
As it turns out, [my Writing Center instructor] has taught me that
it isnt my writing which is bad but my organization or thought
process to writing. He has a unique way of assisting my writing.
He only suggests his ideas  he doesnt tell
me what Im doing incorrectly. Better yet, he gives me confidence
in my writing. This was something I have been missing since my high
school days.

From a dissertator:

Having weekly meetings helps motivate me to start my papers
in advance and have something to work on. The Writing Center has
helped me learn how to revise. I never knew how to write a paper,
and Ive gotten much better at the whole process.

What faculty members say about the Writing Center

From a professor in Plant Pathology:

[My student] learned a tremendous amount from you about
organization and sentence structure, as well as the technical issues
of punctuation and proofreading. I thank you for the progress he
has made. Frankly, I did not expect such a great improvement in
such a short time . . .

From a professor in Animal Health and Biomedical Sciences:

It is obvious that you identified generic problems in
[my students] writing, and helped him understand how to improve.
The last writing assignment shows major improvement over his past
work.

What do you have to say about the Writing Center?

If reading these comments from patrons of the Writing Center has inspired you to contribute your own thoughts, please do so using the form below.

Enter your comments here:

Hey
Writing Center . . .

If
youd like a response to your comments, suggestions,
or questions, please fill in the following (optional):